It was after a year of breast cancer treatments, chemo, radiation, double mastectomy and everything that goes with a stage 3B breast cancer diagnosis, that my husband David and I decided to stop dreaming and start doing…
David used to work off, like most men in our region of southeastern Oklahoma often do, but after my battle with breast cancer — we decided life was too precious to continue living away from each other for extended periods of time. About that time, our son, Tucker, asked his high-school-sweetheart for her hand in marriage.
Tucker, and his bride, Emily, had a vision to be married on our property as their dearest friends and family joined together to celebrate their new life together.
At that time — we had the property, the dearest friends and family, and the desire to celebrate their love. What we did not have was a venue for them to be married in. Tucker + Emily were more than happy begin their life together in the open meadow in front of our home.
The wedding was a beautiful success, and sparked a passion in David and I that we had held for quite some time…
You see, David and I are high-school-sweehearts, too. Talihina has always been my home; I first saw David as he was strolling through the hallways in Talihina Elementary School on his first day of Fourth grade. He is just as handsome to me today as he was all those years ago! He is my Prince Charming, and when you’re married to your own real-life Prince Charming — you love to celebrate ‘LOVE.’
We were married 3 weeks after we graduated from Talihina High School and just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary on June 4. Together, we have built a Christ-centered home and raised 3 wonderful young men; however, we proudly welcomed in countless young men into our home throughout the years and consider them to be our own, as well.
The passion David and I have had for years is to help others celebrate their unique love stories, and to help them make their anniversary the Best Day Ever, just as ours was 30 years ago.
The day after Tucker and Emily were married in the open meadow in front of our home, I strolled back out to the site to enjoy the memories and new chapter that had just begun the day before. It was in that moment that the Lord opened my eyes to see how truly special this beautiful land is — not just for my family, but how special it could be for countless others.
In that moment, as the Lord was revealing his goodness to me, I decided to stop day-dreaming — to take a leap of faith, and turn our passion for serving and celebrating others into a reality.
From that day, until this one — it has been a step-by-step journey, as we take each day one-at-a-time and we simply trust God each step of the way. The dream we were given was one too great for us to accomplish on our own, we understood that, but God has faithfully equipped us for each challenge we have faced, and we know He will continue to do so.
From Tucker + Emily’s ceremony in the open meadow in front of our home, came the beautiful white pavilion where we celebrated our first wedding in March 2017.
In May 2018, we finished construction on our White Barn Chapel.
We continue to take this journey one step at a time, and are loving each couple we serve who choose to make dream their reality.
At Pistols & Pearls, you will find so much more than a beautiful white barn in the mountains of southeastern Oklahoma. You will find a place of celebration for all the milestones life has to offer; and you will meet people who have made it their mission to serve, and to celebrate their guests as if they were their own family.
We welcome you to plan a visit to our venue, and our hometown, at the foot of the Talimena Scenic Drive to see the possibilities in store for you as you begin to plan your “Happily Every After”…
With love,
Shelly Trowbridge
Owner